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Unleashing Creativity:

Minecraft, a blocky, retro, role-playing simulation that’s more Lego than svelte, hi-tech wizardry, isn’t just the game du jour. Kids would skip dinner to play it if parents allowed. Minecraft is role-playing and so much more.

Let me back up a moment. Most simulation games — where players role-play life in a pretend world — aren’t so much “Choose Your Own Adventure” as “See If You Survive Ours.” In most games, players are a passenger in a hero’s journey, solving riddles, advancing through levels and unlocking prizes.

That’s not Minecraft. In Minecraft, they create the world. Nothing happens without their decision — not surroundings, characters, buildings rising or holes being dug.

Percentage of Americans playing games weekly

60%

Fraction of gamers who are female

48%

Portion of rock that is ore in Minecraft

1%

Percentage of school subjects that can be taught in Minecraft

World of Minecraft

GRADE: 2-5

Students will join a virtual world and work together as teams to learn how to navigate both “Creative Mode” and “Survival Mode”. As they progress through the week students learn game mechanics of survival game and how to start and play from beginning to The End (and beating the dragon) with various tricks and tips along the way to make it fun and play as a team. Using Creative Mode, students will have access to Minecraft’s collection of building blocks offering unlimited creativity to build cool architectural structures, obstacle courses, and collaborate with their group to raise a super-construction and learn lots of pro tips for the game.

Minecraft building: Epic Structures

GRADE: 2-5

Minecraft is not just a game but a creative canvas where art is recreated in a virtual world. Students will work on building their own epic structures, three dimensional creations or art of their choice as a team or individually. Epic buildings are not simply making a building larger but learning how to create amazing details as well. Students will learn about various artistic techniques and advanced concepts such as proportion, color coordination, patterns detailing, depth and many other advanced techniques to take their simple buildings and make them epic!

Minecraft Mini Game Making

GRADE: 1-5

Don’t just play Minecraft, build your own games in Minecraft. In this course students will learn how to visualize, develop and create a playable map using design and problem-solving skills. Students will be working as teams to plan and create their own versions of classic minecraft games such as Spleef and Parkour. More advanced students will learn how to take their minecraft games to the next level by incorporating command blocks to create custom mobs, items and ideas to play with their friends!

Minecraft Advanced Building with MCEdit/WorldEdit

GRADE: 4-8

MCEdit/WorldEdit are easy-to-use in-game Minecraft map editors. Through a combination of commands and “brushes,” you can sculpt your world or simply perform numerous terraforming tasks. MCEdit/Worldedit can be used to quickly create, replace or delete thousands of blocks in seconds. Players can cool things like create basic shapes like spheres, cylinders, or even use mathematical expressions to generate terrain. Students will learn how to install WorldEdit at home to create worlds.

Minecraft Redstone circuitry

GRADE: 1-5

Ever wondered how to use redstone, and how people can build such awesome stuff with it? In this class, you’ll learn how it can be used to create virtual circuitry, control mechanisms, and do just about anything you can imagine. We’ll cover the basics of digital logic, how to design and build circuits using logic gates, and even how to design redstone doors, traps and build combination locks only you know how to open.

Minecraft Command Blocks

GRADE: 4-8

When attached to a redstone circuit, the Command block can perform a variety of server commands, such as changing the difficulty or giving players items. Students start by learning command options by using the Command Block GUI. Students will then advance to combining commands together in a single command block. Check out some of the amazing creations others have made with a single command block and then learn how to make some yourself.

Minecraft modding with Scratch

GRADE: 3-5

Enter the world of programming through the world of Minecraft. Students transform from Minecraft players into a Minecraft programmers by learning how to transform, add and modify the basic world of minecraft. Students will build on the skills they already have — logic, creativity, math, gaming, and problem solving — to design, build, test, and share Minecraft mods. The possibilities are limitless, everything, from building a large house to making a multiplayer game that they can play in Minecraft with their friends.

Minecraft modding with Scratch:Game Making

GRADE: 3-5

Minecraft modding used to be a task that only expert coders could take on. Becoming an expert coder was no easy task. Luckily, the information we share with you will show you how to be a coder and how to be a Minecraft modder. The class uses Scratch programming knowledge, involves fun projects using mods to make your own Spleef & Capture the Flag, and your own game style. By using your new skills, you can be well on your way to coding successfully in other applications and transforming the way you and your friends play Minecraft.

Minecraft Java Mods

GRADE: 6-8

Programming doesn’t have to be boring! Write your own Minecraft mods and watch your code come to life with flaming cows, flying creepers, and interactivity. Follow along with examples and add your own features to the Minecraft game by developing Java code that mods your Minecraft. For every item, block or creature they want to add, kids first design the graphics, then they modify real Java code to quickly program their new features. At the end of the course, they will have their own polished Mod that they created on their own.

Minecraft Java Mods II

GRADE: 6-8

Create event based mod programming. During the class we will make explosions occur when events occur – like diamonds being mined or a minecart hits a zombie. Give yourself the ability to super jump so high that you would be injured without the parachute you will also program. Make animals drop potatoes or whatever you want. At the end of the course, students will have their own polished mod that they created on their own to take home with them.

Minecraft Java Server

GRADE: 6-8

This unique course teaches hands-on minecraft Java server coding that is created from scratch. And it’s not just server access; it’s a server that each student can mod for interactive gaming. For the remainder of the course, they can continue to tweak and iterate while continuing to share the changes. Students learn to code in Java with basic programming concepts including: If-then statements, logical operators, methods and parameters, variables, arrays, instantiation of new objects in a fun and engaging manner.

Minecraft servers & modding

GRADE: 4-8

Learn how to host your own server, install and manage Minecraft mods, and accelerate your Minecraft game creation skills. Minecraft mods are a great way to spice up your game, whether it’s a small mod which simply enhances the graphics or a big mod which completely changes the game. However, each mod is not installed in the same way. There are also issues involved with installing multiple mods, as not all mods work (well) together. Students will learn about the most popular installers and options and how to troubleshoot conflicts.